


Mixed Signals

by arcalumo (bohemu)



Category: Brothers & Sisters
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-14
Updated: 2009-12-14
Packaged: 2018-03-09 13:17:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3251120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bohemu/pseuds/arcalumo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Justin and Rebecca try to define their new relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mixed Signals

**Author's Note:**

> Set between 2x16 and 3x01. I came up with the idea for another story, but it didn't really fit the pairing so I re-worked it into the Walker house. If it feels a bit off, that would be why. Beta'd by my loser friends who aren't on LJ and take forever to get back to me. :P

When 2am rolls around, they're the only two still awake, sitting on the couch in front of the TV. The marathon isn't close to finishing, but Rebecca's still entertained. Justin's a different story. His eyes start to close on him, and he rests his head on Rebecca's shoulders. She's amused at the complete lack of stereotypes happening this weekend, but it's been a good, long while since anyone cuddled with her, and she figures she might as well.

She smiles, and turns to rest her head on top of Justin's. When it doesn't go far from its original position, she chuckles. He pulls his head off her shoulder. "What?"

"Nothing. You're just so cuddly here. It's a bit weird."

"Oh, sorry," Justin says, and repositions himself to sit straight up. Rebecca looks insulted, but lets him go. He rubs his eyes and crosses his arms, trying too late to appear manly.

"Dude, it's fine. I'm just amused at how you're... the one all cuddly and I'm being entertained by... morons on TV." There was a Wipeout marathon playing on TV, and it had always been one of Rebecca's guilty pleasures.

He shrugs and clears his throat. "It's boring. I'd rather just watch the news or mom's tapes of Kitty's old show."

"Yeah, but....," her smile disappears as she wonders if she's hogging the remote. "Is there anything else you watch?"

Justin shakes his head in that frantic way that he does. "No. But, I think I'm going to go to bed. Are you heading up too?" Rebecca glances at the TV, really wanting to finish the marathon. "Not so much," she says, finally. "I want to see this episode. I like it."

He turns on his heel and says under his breath, "Fine with me. Good night."

"Hey, I don't get a goodnight hug?" Rebecca teases. Justin turns around with a goofy grin, laughing. "Are you twelve? Do you need a nightlight and a story, too?" She throws a pillow at him. "Fine, be that way!" She smiles as he ducks the pillow, which lands behind his feet.

"What? You're going to throw pillows at me when you're asking for a hug?" he jokes. "How dare you!" He launches himself at the couch with the wayward pillow aimed at her head.

Rebecca blocks him with the other pillow, but he lands on top of her anyway-- a pile of bodies and fabric. They start to laugh loudly, and then both remember the time. "Shh. You'll wake everybody," she offers, motioning towards the ceiling. Justin shakes his head again. "We're fine. Plus, I'm pretty sure at least one person is awake at the top of the stairs, spying on us."

Rebecca looks towards the stairs, her voice barely a whisper. "Wait, what? Who?" Justin shrugs. "Probably Sarah." Rebecca's eyes widen.

"I know. That's how our family is." Justin helps himself out of the tangle on the couch and nearly falls backwards on the corner of a pillow. Rebecca gets up and shakes herself free of the Triscuits and throw pillows. " _'Our family'_?"

Justin freezes, not realizing his mistake. "Uh, well, I mean, you're still part of the family, even if we're not blood-related."

"It just feels a bit weird right now... you know? After you and me..." she trails off. Justin nods and shuts up. His family. Got it.

Rebecca sits back on the couch, somehow managing to look more awkward sitting straight up than she did in the pile just before. Justin picks up the pillows and sets them next to Rebecca and leans her way to kiss her goodnight on the cheek. Instead, his lips touch hers. He stumbles back, trying to sever the connection, thinking it was a mistake in calculation.

Rebecca moves with him off the couch, unwilling to let him go. Justin grabs her face with his hands and pulls her away. He manages a "What?"

He sounds shocked, or violated. Rebecca's eyes dash between Justin's eyes and his lips. "I... dunno. I--" she stumbles over her words and then he interrupts, kissing her back urgently.

Rebecca's knees buckle for a second, which frightens her and startles him. "I'm fine," she says. Justin walks backwards towards the stairs, with Rebecca following. They make it to Justin's old room and close the door quietly behind them.

They end up against the door, hands groping and mouths exploring new territory. Justin's hands linger at the hem of her tee, and she patiently waits to see what he will do. Instead, he stops altogether and backs away from her. "We need to talk about this. What are we doing?"

Rebecca groans. "You really want to ruin this with talking?" She tries to move closer to Justin, but he pushes her back.

"No," he says simply. He looks panicked, as if they'd already crossed a line. He takes a few more steps backwards.

Rebecca is hurt. It's the first time he's seen her this hurt, and he doesn't know how to interpret it. "It's fine. I don't know what it was either, and I wasn't going to go, you know." She nods in the direction of the bed.

"Yeah. I was kinda weirded out. I mean, you were my sister not even a week ago and now we're kissing and it's a lot to handle right now." Justin looks defeated and Rebecca can't understand why, since he was the one who stopped everything.

Her nose scrunches up. "I don't think of you as a brother. I think... that much was obvious. I mean, I basically attacked you."

Justin smiles sheepishly again. "Yeah, you did. I mean, I was just going in to kiss you on the cheek and there was your lips."

"Shit. I should go sleep in my own room," Rebecca says, quietly. Justin shuffles over to her and holds her head in his hands. They make eye contact and kiss; it's a longer yet gentler kiss.

Justin's voice is much lower when he breaks the kiss and speaks. "Listen, um, maybe it can be just between us." He passes his thumb across her bottom lip, and she bursts out laughing. "Wow, Justin, really? You know that can't happen. At least not with you-- with your family." Justin's eyes flash at her mistake, and she looks away from him.

Then Justin laughs too, and they share a small moment where things are back to normal. "Yeah, I'm going to go sleep in the living room. The marathon's still on, anyway." Justin kisses her neck as she turns around. She freezes in the moment and then turns the doorknob and exits. She hears him sigh behind her. "Alright. Good night, Rebecca"

"Night, Justin."


End file.
